Tipuana tipu -flores- (II)

Tipuana tipu, known as Rosewood, is a South American tree of the genus Tipuana. Tipu trees can reach 100 feet in height and 60 feet wide. They are known for being shade trees. Tipu leaves vary in size from 1/2 inch to 3 inches or more and they grow in clusters. The flowers are bright yellow in color and bloom only briefly in the late summer. The fruit is a samara, with the seed at one end. It is a deciduous tree, shedding all of its leaves and large "helicopter" seed packets from January-May each year. The debris can be quite a nuisance. The tree is known for having a very aggressive root system. The tree roots can easily lift up concrete and asphalt. Precautions should be taken when planting near buildings, homes, or pools, as they are likely to be damaged. Damage may sometimes be averted by trenching near the structure to a depth of about 1 metre and filling the trench with building rubble or lining the trench with thick plastic sheeting.

In Southern California, an insect called Tipu Psyllid has invaded several trees.

Also known as the "Pride of Bolivia".

This tree is viewed as an invasive weed in some countries. It produces masses of seeds, most of which succeed in germinating, and it can withstand a very wide range of growing conditions, from -4 degrees C to salty soils to drought.

The species is a food plant for spittlebugs such as Ptyelus grossus.

Tipuana belongs to subfamily Faboideae of the legume family Fabaceae. It has sessile leaves, and produces samara (fruit).

The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species. The largest genera are Astragalus (over 2,400 species), Acacia (over 950 species), Indigofera (around 700 species), Crotalaria (around 700 species), and Mimosa (around 500 species).

Plants of this family are found throughout the world, growing in many different environments and climates. A number are important agricultural plants, including: Glycine max (soybean), Phaseolus (beans), Pisum sativum (pea), Cicer arietinum (chickpeas), Medicago sativa (alfalfa), Arachis hypogaea (peanut), Ceratonia siliqua (carob), and Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice), which are among the best known members of Fabaceae.

A number of species are also weedy pests in different parts of the world, including: Cytisus scoparius (broom), Ulex europaeus (gorse), Pueraria lobata (kudzu), and a number of Lupinus species.